Husqvarna 701 Enduro - 1st impressions (Pros an Cons)

Yes I know, I know! How many bikes is this idiot going to buy?!
But its all for the quest... of finding the bike that doesn't exist, the duel sport unicorn.
Today I gave my new Husqvarna 701 Enduro a test ride.
Here are my thoughts so far...
The 701 is basically yhr same bike as the KTM690 Enduro, and the GasGas ES700.

[@701Adventures]

I have a 22 plate 701 which I bought after selling my GSA 1250. The 701 is perfect for my needs and I do a mixture of everything on it. I’ve done a video on the mods I’ve added, feel free to have a look, I’ve also added all the costing of the accessories. 👍

[@Duken4evr29]

Nice video, looks soggy! I have a '23 701. It really is a different engine with fueling and exhaust tuning - I went with Rottweiler. The low end and midrange fill in and the power is creamy and stout. It can lug down off idle and churn the tire in the dirt when fed proper amount of fuel, making for a lot less clutch work in slow going. Do look into tuning it, they had to leave a lot on the table power wise, plus it sounds like a proper thumper with a can on it. Lots of people go with the Wings can as it is nicely made and a good value. I live in Colorado and use my 701 for paved and dirt canyon ripping, riding 4x4 trails and exploring. It is a sweet bike for that kind of riding. Honestly a well modified DR 650 would suffice also for a lot less money, until riding in the canyons, where the mid and top end pull of the Austrian engine leaves a DR for dead. This engine is amazingly smooth vibration wise too, even at high revs.

[@everydaybiker]

Thanks for the video. I have a 701, it does not like to be lugged, it has a 9k limit, so, it loves a rev. Not great if you're trying to be subtle going past residential properties

[@maxflight777]

I purchased one after watching your video ! ❤

[@biscuitsalive]

Which year did you get?

[@maxflight777]

@@biscuitsalive new 2024. I have the rade garage tower coming too ! Pondering mosko Moto 80 bags … researching alternatives because I enjoy wild camping

[@biscuitsalive]

@@maxflight777 ohh nice! I’m without a bike at the moment. :( Waiting for a decent job to pay. Bad year so far for £. May have to get a cheap DRZ400 or something in a month or so.

[@TheIdlesurfer]

Been exactly there on my 701. Cornwall is beautiful. Surf and cracking lanes on the positive. Emmets in white whales who can't reverse, down side. BTW Finnish, not Swedish, is my first language, so here goes with a Nordic but not Scandi pronunciation. Huus kvar naa.

[@somotorrad5509]

I have the 2019 701 E. On my older model I was able to fit an O2 eliminator plug which noticeably improved that lumpy hesitant low speed running, but it is still there to an extent. I can not find anything similar available for the 2020> Euro 5 bikes. It obviously will not work anymore, nor the Rapid Bike Easy. I guess a full remap maybe the only expensive option now to improve the lean lumpiness down low, which is a real shame. Loving your continued experimentation with different bikes, keep it up 👍

[@biscuitsalive]

Many thanks. Yes seen a couple of vids talking about this since making vid. So I’m a bit more clued up on it now. Deff something you can get used to. But still annoying such a modern bike has an issue like that caused by stupid red tape emissions stuff. (Seems lots of bikes get similar issues, Eg. The crf450L)

[@somotorrad5509]

I have just seen that CRT Performance Parts in the UK do an in-line Fuel Optimiser for the Euro 5 model (other ones are also available!). Some varied effectiveness described on the forums, but worth researching as an affordable option.

[@biscuitsalive]

@@somotorrad5509 thanks. A mates got something like that on his es700 so I’m going to try that first

[@ninja12lawbreaker]

I already have my dream bike but that 701 is a very close second

[@I_am_Thursday]

I've just watched your T700 vid and I would have bet that you'd go for a 701. I think you were doing some good trails on the Tenere so kudos. I'd have been off on my CRF on those as I'm so shit off road. I agree that the 701 would be my perfect bike but as I have some other high maintenance mistresses the reliability and 24k valve service of the Tenere is all I can consider. So do I chop in my Tracer 7 and CRF for the Tenere.... What a conundrum

[@biscuitsalive]

It’s so difficult isn’t it. Never a right answer for most of us. Loved the T7. But 95% sure I will never buy another bike over 200kg. Maybe it’s just my smaller size and lack of skill showing. But I really like bikes i can move around easily. Still not certain if the 701 is a tiny bit heavy for my liking. Easy to pick up. But things like the wheels getting stuck in slippery ruts, where a lighter bike would climb out of the rut. (Of course tyres is a big part of that too… but weight is a unavoidable part of the equation) I think I should never have tried a KTM 350. Everything feels bloated and heavy after that. (But the service intervals would do my head in)

[@I_am_Thursday]

@@biscuitsalive yep. I'm not convinced by the whole adv bike thing. Once you put proper offroad tyres on something like a tenere then they're a nightmare on the tarmac and really no quicker than a 250.

[@SteelHorseman]

Did you do anything to the engine yet??

[@miro_s]

The one thing I really hate about this bike is the way the quickshifter interferes with clutched gear changes. Very often the system realises the clutch is being pulled (and therefore the quickshifter shouldn’t operate) very late and only if the clutch is pulled all the way in, and as a result it blips/cuts the engine by itself, which throws me. (I think this is due of bad design of the way the clutch microswitch activates.) For the rest the 701 is super, but this single issue annoys me so much that unless I can fix it I might end up selling it. EDIT: pls do not answer that I don’t need clutched gear changes, the quickshifter works well, because off-road that’s not always an option. And in those circumstances, I want the engine to respond precisely to the throttle input, not blip or cut on its own initiative. Think it make sense.

[@biscuitsalive]

Yep I should have mentioned that. When I’m going over very up/down bumps my foot touches the gear lever and quick shifter interfere with clutch.

[@miro_s]

@@biscuitsalive that’s not what I’m referring to. What I’m saying is that when I change gear without pulling the clutch all the way to the handlebar (which is always) the bike thinks the clutch is disengaged and blips the engine to operate the quickshifter. This interferes with my manual gear changes. It’s a design fault, both ktm and husqvarna use a different (correct) way to determine whether the clutch is pulled in on other bikes (790/890/901/1290), on the 690/701 there isn’t a fully satisfactory solution, not one that I can see. I ended up making my own pin to activate the clutch micro switch, 3mm longer than the oem. But that solution only works for the way I set up and operate the clutch lever, and if I accidentally pull it in too much I risk to damage the micro switch (because pin is too long)

[@dandersonjr]

I have the 2023 model and the only thing I dislike about it is the Quick Shifter. I asked my dealer if he could disable it but he didn't think so. All other reviewers rave about a Quick shifter but to me it's unnatural. I guess I'll have to adjust to it but I don't have to like it. Not a deal breaker at this point.

[@jjcave48]

Hi interested to see how you get on with the 701, I currently have a DRZ 400e which is my scratch around bike and I live in the same neck of the woods as you by the look of it. I also have a Husqvarna Svartpilen, that doesn’t like the low revs either but on the road It’s ok as I just dont let the revs drop too much otherwise it can be like a jack hammer ! Do like the idea of the 690 or 701 as like you say it will be better for getting to and from the trails. Good luck with your quest for the perfect all rounder !

[@biscuitsalive]

Cheers. I tried the svartpilen 401. Great fun on roads. I’ve just found out about a fueldongle o2 cheat thing that should smooth out low rev throttle. (Apparently, haven’t ordered it yet. ) That’s my only real issue with 701 so far. So if I can sort that it prob will be close to being the unicorn, one bike only solution.

[@jjcave48]

@@biscuitsalive Yes I to have looked at the fuel dongle,they are not expensive so well worth a try, would certainly be a very easy fix if it worked !

[@jjcave48]

BTW, did you ever consider or try the CRF450l ? it such a shame it is short on the ponies !

[@biscuitsalive]

@@jjcave48 almost bought one, twice. The USA spec is pretty good power. (Just diff ECU) Only stock uk one is underpowered. Only the service intervals put me off really. Has same low rev judder/stalling issue as 701 (caused by emissions crap as per usuals) But again ECU can get rid of most of that by all accounts. So worth picking one up with “vortex” ECU I believe.

[@richardsimpson3792]

Congratulations...I just added an ES700 to the stable at the turn of the year!

[@biscuitsalive]

Nice. I tried to get a 22 reduced es700. (They were knocking £1000 off) But missed them all. Like the silver wheels. Will stay fresh looking for much longer than black rims.

[@richardsimpson3792]

@@biscuitsalive sorry...I think I beat you to it (JD Racing?)!

[@Adameftube]

Have you kept the 350 and DRZ too? --- definitely found my 690 felt slightly heavy compared to even my CRF300L. I think it's partly the bigger engine inertia that resists being counteracted by your body movement rather than real world KGs actually making it heavy. Amazing bike on road. They don't really want to be going under 20mph.

[@biscuitsalive]

No. I had a bit of a sudden knee jerk reaction, sold the DRZ and the 350excf. Couldn’t face the servicing on 350. (I do too many miles on the road, even just to get to trails) loved it in the mud/tricky stuff though. And the DRZ didn’t quite do it for me. Was clearly a good bike. Just didn’t gel with it. 701 seems best compromise so far. But literally just had one morning on it so far. So too early to say. (But running out of bike options to try now. XD )

[@Adameftube]

@@biscuitsalive the 350 is a difficult to bike to have as an only bike. I loved mine that was stolen so much though that it's the one I'm hoping to buy again. The 690 that was stolen hasn't made me want another though. My old DRZ was great and for the money did really well, but again, not rushing out to get another. Honda really do need to bring out the CRF400L that everyone wants. I may be heading back to another CRF300 to have alongside another Husky 350 fe hopefully.

[@richardsimpson3792]

You might find switching to mode 2 (off-road) makes it more flexible at low speed. Mode 1 is road with a harsher throttle response.

[@biscuitsalive]

I did play with it TC on/off. Mode 1 and 2. But didn’t notice a huge difference. But was first day on bike. So lots of get used to first to get head round it all.

[@richardsimpson3792]

@@biscuitsalive It's a (very) big single with fuel injection and a light flywheel so I suspect driveline resonances come with the territory. But the calmer ignition-advance map in mode 2 should damp it down a little. I suspect it's something that one just gets used to and 'rides around'. Reply

[@novendra_]

Dan masih menggunakan dashboard model lama, ini sangat menyebalkan

[@tomcat6933]

😴

[@MartinX31]

Had a 2017... motor broke down on me after 13,000 miles. One of the bearings on the side of the engine case broke and sent the bearings into the motor... fucked shit up in there😂 anyhow I alwayd had that front wheel up in the air!